This invention relates to a method for inhibiting increase in blood sugar content, and a foodstuff product containing a hyperglycemia controlling agent.
Various studies have been heretofore conducted with the goal of inhibiting the intestinal absorption of glucose in order to control the increase in blood sugar content which arises from intake of sucrose and starch, in order to prevent obesity in a normal person or to implement the diet therapy of a diabetic person. However, these studies have not yielded satisfactory results. Applicant has conducted various investigations of hyperglycemia controlling agents which can control the increase in blood sugar content which usually arises from intake of sucrose and starch. As a result of these investigations, applicant has found that polymers which comprise glucose molecules repeatedly bonded by .alpha.-1,6-bonds can exhibit a controlling effect on the increase in blood sugar content. One such compound is isomaltotriose, which is an oligosaccharide consisting of three glucose molecules bonded by .alpha.-1,6-bonds. When isomaltotriose is added in a weight ratio of 1:400 to the sucrose intake, it is found that only 20% of the sugar intake is absorbed through the intestinal tract. Similar effects are also observed in other .alpha.-1,6-bonded polysaccharides such as dextran.
The toxicity of a food additive is always of great concern. In this respect, isomaltotriose is not a desirable food additive because, even though it inhibits the absorption of sucrose through the intestinal tract, it is itself absorbed through the intestinal tract. Dextran is also not a desirable food additive because it depresses the function of blood platelets, thereby prolonging blood coagulation time. Dextran also has a number of other undesirable side effects.